Filling-detecting mechanism for looms.



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FILLING DETECTING MECHANISM FOR Looms.

dAPPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. 1905.

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FILLING DETECTING MEGHANISMH FO R LO OMS. Arruouron rum: 1010,1905. I

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PATBNTED 001.30, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

EVERETT-S. WOOD, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPO- RATION OF MAINE.

FILLING-DETECTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

Application filed November 8,1905. Serial No; 286,337.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EVERETT S. WooD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Filling-Detecting Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of novel means for controlling the filling detector or fork of a loom whereby the detector is normally held quiescent, but is released just prior to the time for its detecting action, the detector when so released being 1 free to be tilted by engagement with the filling, while any undue movement or vibration of the fork is prevented.

By lessening the vibration of the detector after it has been engaged and moved by the filling a much more accurate and efiicient action is secured and a lighter detector can be used, and by restrainin the detector from movement until. just be ore the time for its detecting action all unnecessary or objectionable movement is eliminated, the detector being completely at rest when engaged by the filling.

My invention is very well adapted for use in connection with looms provided with two filling-detectors, and I have herein shown my invention as so applied, the loom having mechanism bywhich its operation is changed upon detection of filling failure by either detector, such change of operation in the present instance being a replenishment of the running filling upon breakage or running out thereof. A loom of this general character forms the "subjectanatter of United States PatentNo. 789,291, grantedto Northrop, May 9, 1905 but it is to be understood that myinvention is not, by illustration in connection with such mechanism, thereby restricted in any wayto such use norto a double-detector loom.;'

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification, and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a top plan view, centrally broken out, of a sufficient portion of an auto-.

matic filling replenishing double detector loom to be understood, with one embodiment of my present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional detail onthe line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking toward the left, the fork-controller retaining the fork quiescent. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail, in side elevation, of the filling-detector and its controller in normal position, the nearer side of the slide being broken out. Fig. 4 is a similar view, but showing the detector as released and just about to detect presence or absence of filling. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the controller detached, and Fig. 6 is a rear view of the forkgrid and the device for releasing the fork from the controller just before the time for detecting action.

Referring to Fig. 1, the lay A filling-replenishing mechanism partly shown at the right and including a hopper F and a transferrer f, the controlling rock-shaft (1, having arms d and (1 fast thereon, the main and auxiliary filling-detectors f g and their slides f X g and the adjacent weft-hammers or vibrators W W may be and are all substantially as in said Patent No. 789,291.

It will be understood from reference thereto that sufficient turning of the rock-shaft d effects filling replenishment, such turning being effected by complete outward movement of the main slide f only through the arm d ward movement of the auxiliary slide g effects arrest of take-up and an initial outward movement of the main slide.

When filling failure is first detected by the main detector or fork, filling re lenishment is effected directly; but when ling failure is first detected 'by the auxiliary detector the initial movement is thereby given to the main slide, followed by its full movement, so that replenishment is indirectly efiected by the auxiliary detector.

Inasmuch as the controlling means is the same for both the main and auxiliary detectors, only one will be described in detail, and I have chosen to describe the controlling means in connection with the main detector for reasons which will appear hereinafter.

The controller is shown separately in Fig. 5, and it is conveniently made of a piece of spring-wire having a long straight body 1,

bent laterally and downward at one end at 2 and inturned at 3, the opposite end of the body being bent to form a loop 4, the free end of said loop being carried back substantially parallel with the body, as at 5, and at one side thereof. The part 5 is dropped down at 6 and bent to form a short lateral foot 7.

The inturned part 3 of the controller enters freely into a transverse hole in the side of the fork-slide and is held in place by the adjacent side of the stand or guide f the portion 2 of the controller engaging one side and the tops of the upturned portions 8 of the slide, the 7 body 1 then extending rearward just above the side of the slide, Figs. 2 and 3, the foot 7 normally resting on the fork-tail f As shown in the detail views, the loop 4 projects or extends beyond and below the rear end of the slide, and under normal conditions the resiliency of the controller maintains the foot 7 pressed yieldingly upon the fork-tail, the fork-tails being indicated in Fig. 1 at f and 9 respectively.

A loop-like upright guide 9 on the slide receives the body 1 of the controller and permits some vertical movement thereof while positioning it laterally.

So long as the controller cooperates with the fork-tail, as in Figs. 2 and 3, the tail is depressed and maintained against the hook w of the weft-hammer, the hook-shoulder w being in position to engage the tail on the forward stroke of the weft-hammer.

I have provided means to automatically release the detector or fork from the controller just in time to permit the detector to be tilted by the filling if present, and this is effected by a moving member of the loom.

The grid 10 (see Fig. 6) is mainly of usual construction, it having a lateral ear 11 to receive the retaining-bolt 12, which secures it in place on the lay, (see Fig. 2,) and said bolt also serves to secure in place a cam-shaped releasing device 13, having a groove 14. An arm 15, on which the releasing device is mounted, is downturned to form a flattened end 16, (see Fig. 6,) slotted at 17 to receive the bolt and permit adjustment ofthe releasing device, the flattened end resting upon the ear 11 of the grid. When said grid and releasing device are clamped in position, the device 13 is so located that as the lay beats up the loop 4 of the controller will enter the groove 14 and ride up on the cam-like surface presented by the device 13, thereby lifting the rear end of the controller and its foot 7 into the position shown in Fig. 4. Such movement of the controller frees the detector-or fork, and just before the time for it to detect, if it be the detecting-pick for that detector. Now if the filling is present it engages and tilts such detector, as usual but the tilting movement is limited by the foot 7, for the fork-tail comes against the feet when .the fork has been properly tilted, but thereafter prevents any undue throw or any abnormal vibration. The corresponding wefthammer moves forward, as usual, at this time, and if the fork is tilted the hook-shoulder is carried forward beyond the fork-tail; but if no filling is present the hook engages the tail and the slide is moved outward in usual manner. As the lay swings back the releasing device 13 recedes from engagement with the projecting extension 4 of the controller, and the latter returns tion, resuming its control of the fork and maintaining it quiescent until the next beat up, provided the filling was present and was detected. If, however, the filling was absent, the fork would be caught by the hook, and as the slide moved outward, carrying with it the controller, the latter would resume control of the fork as soon as disengaged from the releasing device, and the controller maintains such cooperation of fork and hook until the parts resume normal position just prior to beat-up of the lay. By maintaining the detector or fork quiescent under normal conditions until it is time for detecting action all vibrations or jumping of the "detector are eliminated, the detector performing its proper detecting function each time from a state of rest, enabling me to use a very light detector, whichis a great advantage. So, too, the operation of the controller in maintaining the cooperation of the hook and the detector upon detection of filling failure absolutely insures the proper operation of the mechanism, which is designed to be operated upon such filling failure. It will be manifest that these advantages are secured whether the controller is used in connection with a single fork or with both forks in a double-fork loom.

The greatest damage occurring from a loose grid is the formation of thin places in the cloth caused by the lifting or tilting of the fork by the grid after the filling has broken or run out.

While a loose grid would not be so apt to damage the fork, it would be practically certain to strike or rub against the fork sulficiently to tilt it. There is accordingly a decided advantage in any kind of loom in securing the grid and the releasing device by a common fastening member, for if such member should work loose, as will sometimes happen, permitting displaccment of the grid, the releasing device will drop out of place and it will not cooperate with the fork-controller. The fork will then be held in engagement with the hook and the consequent outward movement of the fork-slide will stop the loom, thus preventing the formation of a thin place in the cloth, which would otherwise occur as soon as the filling broke or was exhausted.

On a double-fork loom, such as herein shown, the stoppage of the loom would be effected by the misthreading device by causto normal posi-' IIO - the main form from detecting position.

Such movement, however, is sufficient to move the extension 4 of the fork-controller out of the way of the releasing device 13, so that the fork is prevented from being tilted and the fork-tail is maintained in position to cooperatewith the hook-shoulder, and when the hook takes up its outward stroke the main slide will be given its full operative movement.

Should the shuttle by any chance be stopp ed in its flight opposite the detector or fork, the latter can be tilted by engagement with the shuttle, for then the controller will yield to the strain imparted to the fork.

I have shown herein one practical embodiment of my invention; but various changes or modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1 In filling-detecting mechanism for looms, in combination, a tilting filling-fork, a movable slide on which the fork is mounted, a yielding controller fixedly mounted at one end and adapted at its other free end to engage the fork and prevent tilting thereof, and means torelease the fork from engagement by the controller just prior to the time for the fork to detect.

2. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a tilting filling-fork, a controller therefor to limit its tilting movement and also normall acting to restrain the fork from tilting, an a device on the lay to engage the controller and release the fork on the beat up, whereby the fork is free to be tilted by engagement with the filling.

3. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a grid thereon, a tilting filling-fork to engage intact filling in front of the grid, a controller for and normally restraining the fork from tilting movement, a releasing device to cooperate with the controller and withdraw it from the fork as the lay beats up, and a single fastening to connect said device and grid to the lay, whereby if said fastening works loose failure of the releasing device to act upon the controller will prevent tilting of the fork.

4. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a tilting filling-fork, a controller therefor to limit its tilting movement and also normally acting to restrain the fork from tilting, and a cam-shaped releasing device on the lay and operative on the beat-up to raise the controller far enough to permit tilting of the fork while serving to limit such tilting.

5. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a grid thereon, a tilting filling-fork to engage intact filling in front of the grid, and means adapted to effect the stoppage of the loom if the grid becomes loose.

6. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a grid thereon, a tilting filling-fork to engage intact filling in frontof the grid, a slide onwhich the fork is mounted and which is movable into abnormal position upon failure of the fork to be tilted, and means to prevent tilting of the fork if the grid becomes loose, to thereby cause movement of the slide.

7. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a grid thereon, a tilting filling-fork to engage intact filling in front of the grid, a slide on which the fork is mounted, a vibrator provided with a hook to cooperate with the fork and move the slide outward upon failure of the fork to be tilted, and means to act upon and prevent tilting of the fork when the grid is moved from proper position.

8. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a tilting filling-fork, a controller therefor to definitely limit its tilting movement and also normally acting to restrain the fork from tilting, and means operative on the beat up of the lay to cause the controller to permit tilting of the fork by. engagement with the filling while definitely limiting such tilting movement.

9. In a loom, in combination, a lay, a tilting filling-fork, a controller therefor to limit its tiltingmovement and also normally acting to restrain the fork from tilting, a grid mounted on the lay, means operativeon the beat up when the grid is properly positioned to cause the controller to permit filling-induced tiltingof the fork, displacement of the grid rendering said means inoperative and permitting the controller to restrain the fork from tilting, and mechanism to effect a change in the operation of the loom when the fork is so restrained from tilting.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, EVERETT S. WOOD.

Witnesses:

GEORGE O'rrs DRAPER, ERNEST W. W001). 

